All Our Secrets
by TB's LMC
Summary: Dotty leaves town with no explanation while Lee and Amanda are sent to England in search of a missing agent. It all leads to finding out everyone has secrets...
1. Part I

Title: All Our Secrets  
  
Author: Christine L. Davis  
  
E-Mail: nilescc@yahoo.com  
  
Archive: Anywhere, but please let me know where, I like to see!  
  
Summary: Everybody has secrets: Lee, Amanda...even Dotty. But secrets as big as these can't be kept hidden for long.  
  
Rated: PG  
  
Disclaimers: The characters of Lee, Amanda and any other familiar folks belong to Warner Brothers, Shoot the Moon and whomever else is a Power-That-Be. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
Author's Notes: This story takes place about a year-and-a-half after the actual show ended.  
  
Feedback: Greatly appreciated, both constructive criticism and high praise. Flames will be immediately extinguished utilizing my handy-dandy Secret-Agent-Fan-Fiction-Flame-Douser.  
  
Many Thanks: To Larry (lde@alaska.net) for his beta reading and for the inspiration he provides.  
  
~~~~~All Our Secrets~~~~~  
  
"Amanda, dear, I have to talk to you." Dotty's waspish voice called out.  
  
"Oh, Mother, can it wait until after work? I had to help Phillip find his AP Geometry book before school and now I'm late."  
  
"Amanda..."  
  
Amanda froze in place. The only time she'd ever heard her mother use that tone of voice was when... Her hand was reaching for the doorknob to the front door, but Amanda pulled it away, knowing that whatever her mother wanted, it was serious. She took the three steps down into the kitchen rather slowly.  
  
Dotty stood leaning against the bar, her back to her precious daughter as tears welled up in her eyes, but she forced them away, knowing that Amanda would never understand...well, she might understand but she'd never let Dotty go. After several moments, she'd composed herself enough to turn and offer Amanda a steady smile.  
  
"Oh, darling, don't look so worried. Come sit at the table with me." Dotty sat in the breakfast nook and waited until Amanda had joined her.  
  
Amanda's voice was quiet and full of fear. "Mother, that tone of voice you're using used...the last time you sounded that way was when Daddy died."  
  
Dotty covered her daughter's hand with her own. "Oh, no, no, nobody's died this time, I promise. My darling, sweet baby girl." Dotty's eyes misted over as she lightly touched Amanda's cheek. "Amanda, I have to take a trip."  
  
"A trip? What kind of trip? Mother, are you in some sort of trouble? Because if you are, I can help, I-"  
  
"Trouble? Where in the world would you get that idea?"  
  
"Well, you seem very preoccupied."  
  
"I am. Dear, something's happened on my side of the family and I need to take care of it."  
  
"Mother, your side of the family is *my* side of the family, too. Shouldn't I help you? Or at least know what's happening?"  
  
Dotty sighed, giving her daughter a knowing look. "Amanda. How many times have you disappeared for one night, two nights, three nights, without a note, without a phone call, no word whatsoever?"  
  
Amanda grimaced.  
  
"You go missing for days and days and all these Federal agents are looking for you, but you never tell me exactly what it's about. You keep your relationship with Lee a secret and expect me to never ask questions."  
  
Amanda gasped.  
  
"Yes, Amanda, I know you and Lee are involved. And not just involved, but *involved*."  
  
"But how-"  
  
"I'm your mother. I'm also a woman. I know true love between two people when I see it."  
  
"Mother, let me explain-"  
  
"No, you don't have to. That's my point don't you see? I don't know exactly what it is you do at I.F.F., I don't even know if that's the real name of who you work for-"  
  
"Mother!"  
  
"-but I never pry. Well, not too much. Believe me, Amanda, if I wanted to know what really happens in your life, I would get it out of you. But I've left it alone. I let you live your life, now I'm just asking that this once you let me live mine."  
  
"But Mother, I can help you."  
  
"I know you *want* to help, Amanda, but you must trust your mother. I shouldn't be gone for too long, and I promise I'll call, which is more than I can say for you."  
  
Amanda frowned. All her years of lying and sneaking around were finally catching up with her and taking a good chunk out of her hind end. Her mother was right. How could she expect her to be forthright with her when she had been lying both about her profession and her husband for so long?  
  
"Mother, I'm gonna worry. Can you at least tell me where you're going?"  
  
"Don't worry, Amanda, I'll be fine. And no, I'd rather not tell you. Maybe another time, but not just now. Trust me?"  
  
"Of course I trust you, Mother. And I love you. Please be careful."  
  
"I love you, too, Amanda. And I will. I should be back in a week or so."  
  
A horn honked somewhere outside.  
  
"Oh, that will be my cab." Dotty rose from her seat and ran up the steps to her room.  
  
"Your cab?!?" Amanda hopped up and ran to the bottom of the stairs. "You're leaving *now*?!? But, Mother-"  
  
Dotty came back down the steps with a suitcase and a carry-on bag. "Yes, dear, I just found out about...it...late last night."  
  
Amanda swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat. "So I *did* hear the phone ring around midnight."  
  
"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry to rush, but I really must go." Dotty headed for the front door as the cab honked again.  
  
"Mother, I-" Amanda had a bad feeling about this. She didn't want her mother to walk out that door, but really, what choice did she have? Her mother was an adult, and she had a right to have a few secrets. Who was Amanda to begrudge anyone secrets, after all?  
  
Dotty turned and smiled at Amanda. "I'll be fine," she whispered.  
  
"I love you, Mother." Amanda embraced her mother, squeezing her a little too hard and holding on for a little too long. She had a *really* bad feeling.  
  
"I love you, too, don't ever forget that." Dotty pulled away and opened the front door. "I'll see you soon, Panda."  
  
Tears welled up in Amanda's eyes. Her mother hadn't called her "Panda" since she was a teenager. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. As Amanda watched her mother make her way down the sidewalk and pass through the front gate, she knew she shouldn't let her go, she had to convince her to stay or to get help...something...*anything*.  
  
"Mother!" Amanda called as she rushed down the front sidewalk.  
  
But it was too late. Dotty had hurried to the cab and gotten inside. As Amanda reached the front gate, the cab sped away.  
  
"Mother?" Amanda whispered, the tears spilling over onto her cheeks. "Mother."  
  
Lee whistled...yes, whistled...as he rounded the corner onto Maplewood Drive. It was a nameless tune which had never been written, but it didn't matter. He'd been thrilled when Amanda had told him Friday that she was taking her Grand Wagoneer into the shop that afternoon. He knew the shop wouldn't be open Monday morning before they needed to be at work, so he'd offered to pick her up. Any excuse to spend extra minutes with her was cause for celebration. She'd agreed to the ride and that had been that. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to spend one second with his wife over the weekend, so he was truly looking forward to seeing her radiant beauty this morning.  
  
Amanda stood transfixed, staring at the point where her mother's cab had disappeared. The silver Corvette pulled up right in front of her, but she barely noticed. Lee hopped out of the car, closing the door behind him, and walked over to her.  
  
"Amanda?"  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
He touched her arm. "Amanda?"  
  
She jumped about a foot, then turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. He could feel her body shaking ever-so-slightly and knew she was crying. Very concerned, both about Amanda and about neighbors possibly watching them, Lee led Amanda up the sidewalk to her front door and helped her inside. They walked into the kitchen, where she grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes and nose.  
  
"Amanda, what is it? What happened?" Lee finally asked.  
  
"I don't know." Amanda sank into the chair occupied mere moments earlier by her mother.  
  
Lee had never fully understood odd mood swings women had, but this one took the cake. She was crying, something was wrong, but she didn't know what? "Amanda, tell me, why are you so upset?" He sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her near.  
  
"Well, the strangest thing just happened. I was on my way out the door and my mother wanted to tell me something, so I sat down with her...right here in these chairs...but she wouldn't tell me exactly what was going on, she just said she had to leave for a while and would be back and then she made me feel guilty about all the secrets I've kept from her, I know she didn't do it on purpose, but I couldn't make her tell me what was going on when I never tell her anything and now she's gone...oh, Lee!" Amanda's rambling ended with her turning her face into Lee's suit jacket and crying silent tears.  
  
Lee was very worried now. Whether or not she knew it, Mrs. West was his mother-in-law and as such, he loved her and cared about what was happening to her. Besides, she treated him so well and helped to make him feel like a real member of her family. He let Amanda cry for a few minutes, then pushed her back enough to look into her eyes.  
  
"Please tell me what you mean. She's gone?"  
  
Amanda nodded, using her leftover tissue to dab at her eyes. "Yes, she just left in a cab. I wanted to make her stay, I just have such a bad feeling about this, but I didn't get to her in time and Lee, what right do I really have to keep her here? She's an adult, she's older than I am, I have to respect that...but I'm frightened. I don't know why. I'm really frightened."  
  
"Why don't you tell me absolutely everything that happened, okay?"  
  
Amanda related her and her mother's odd exchange to Lee as she poured them both a glass of milk. He drank up, listening intently to every word. When she'd finished, he asked, "That's it? That's all she said?"  
  
"Yes." Amanda had calmed considerably as she relayed the story. Now she sat next to Lee feeling rather silly for her antics. "I'm sorry, I'm acting like a little girl whose Mommy ran off with the milk man."  
  
Lee chuckled softly, glad to see his wife wasn't as upset now. "I don't know what to tell you, Amanda. You know your mother better than I do. Do you think there's cause to be concerned for her safety? Because if you say 'yes', then we'll do what we can to find her."  
  
Amanda smiled lovingly at her handsome husband. She could always count on him to be there. "Thank you. I don't know, I just can't shake the feeling that something's wrong."  
  
"Maybe that's just because your mother is keeping something from you."  
  
"Yeah, for the first time in my life. It's such an odd feeling."  
  
She became quiet, lost in thought. Lee wondered if she was going to be okay, simultaneously wondering what was up with his mother-in-law.  
  
"You know, I'll bet this is how Mother felt every time I lied to her. How awful."  
  
Lee embraced her once again. "Hey, it'll be okay. I'm sure your mother will be back before you know it. But, how does this affect the boys?"  
  
"Oh! The boys! They don't even know she's gone! Well, I guess I'm going to have to be home by three every day so they're not alone after school. Do you think Mr. Melrose will understand?"  
  
He stood and helped her to her feet. "You know, I don't think he'd mind if you called him Billy."  
  
"Oh, Lee."  
  
"I know, I know. But you are an agent now. All his agents call him Billy."  
  
"Not unless he asks me to."  
  
"Actually, I think he likes you calling him 'Mr. Melrose'. It makes him feel important." Amanda laughed, exactly the reaction Lee had hoped for. "But don't worry, as far as I know there's nothing on our current case load that requires your presence after three."  
  
"Oh, good. Shall we?"  
  
"We shall." Lee grinned and escorted Amanda to his car. He then realized that he'd not yet received his morning kiss from her, something to which he'd become very accustomed. So when he got into the car, he looked at her and loudly cleared his throat.  
  
"What?" she asked. "My hair standing on end?"  
  
He shook his head and pouted.  
  
"Oh!" Amanda blushed when she realized what he wanted. Looking furtively around the car to be sure no nosy neighbors were close by, she then leaned in and touched her lips to his. As she did so, her heart began beating wildly and most of the concern she'd felt for her mother's whereabouts only a few moments before fell by the wayside. Lee could make her brain stop working without even trying to. His heart was going a mile a minute as well. It had been far too long since they'd made love, and they were both feeling the ache.  
  
Turning back so that she was once again facing the front of the car, Amanda's face remained completely straight as she said, "We'd better go before the stick shift has company."  
  
Lee burst out laughing as he started the Corvette. His wife still had many surprises for him. Her risqué sense of humor was something he'd never dreamed she'd have, but have it she did, and it was hilarious. He couldn't wait to discover her other hidden talents...well, even more than he'd already discovered.  
  
Amanda grinned. Only she could make her husband laugh like that, and she reveled in that knowledge. There were actually several things that he himself had told her only she could make him do, but those were classified. Her grin widened as she thought of a few of them.  
  
"What are you smirking about over there, Mrs. Stetson?"  
  
Erasing the smile, her face once again went straight. "Nothing," she replied nonchalantly.  
  
"I'm coming over tonight, you'd better watch yourself."  
  
"Oh, you are, are you?"  
  
"Yes. The boys will go to bed eventually. And then so will we."  
  
She couldn't help but smile again, turning her head to gaze at his profile. How she could love him anymore, she didn't know. "Is that all you think about, Mister?"  
  
"This from the woman who made the stick shift comment."  
  
She blushed. "Touché."  
  
They arrived at The Agency and went inside, intending to head past Mrs. Marsten and get a little hugging time before Billy called them in. Unfortunately they were too late for that.  
  
"Mr. Stetson, Mrs. King, Mr. Melrose would like to see you."  
  
Lee groaned as she gave he and Amanda their passes.  
  
Amanda poked him as she smiled at the woman. "Thank you, Mrs. Marsten!"  
  
She waved at Amanda as the younger woman pulled Lee to the elevator by the bottom of his suit coat. Before too long they'd disappeared inside and the doors had closed behind them. Mrs. Marsten smiled broadly. Who would've thought...the great Scarecrow, fallen for a housewife. She was pleased as punch.  
  
"You'd better stop that," Amanda admonished once the elevator doors had closed. "Mrs. Marsten's gonna suspect something."  
  
He sighed. "I know, I know. I was just hoping for a few moments alone with you." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss as the elevator came to a stop.  
  
"We'll get our chance, don't worry," she whispered. Amanda sure did love the effect she had on this man. Of course, she loved the man, too.  
  
The two of them walked shoulder-to-shoulder down the hall and into the Bullpen, across the length of the Bullpen to Billy's closed office door. Lee tapped on the door. Billy motioned them in. As they entered, they saw he was on the phone.  
  
"Well, where is she?" he barked.  
  
Amanda and Lee exchanged glances, praying they hadn't done anything wrong as they each wracked their brains for recent blunders.  
  
"That's not *good* enough, dammit!"  
  
Amanda's eyes widened as she sat down across from Billy. Lee remained standing. He knew their boss didn't often curse in front of his subordinates. Something bad was going down, he could feel it.  
  
"Get in there and find her! Now!" Billy slammed the phone down and rubbed his forehead. Suddenly remembering his agents were in the room, he looked up and forced a smile. "Good morning, Lee, Amanda."  
  
"Good morning, Sir!" Amanda smiled.  
  
"Is it, Billy?" Lee asked.  
  
"No, Scarecrow." Billy sat down and seemed to collect himself. "It's not a particularly good morning. Beauty's gone missing, Lee."  
  
Lee's face drained of all color. Amanda looked from one man to the other as they stared into each others' eyes. She cleared her throat, forcing them to turn toward her.  
  
"Excuse me...Beauty?"  
  
Lee quickly composed himself. He could tell Billy was too upset to confront this head-on, so he explained it to Amanda. "Beauty is the code name of one of our best covert operators. Her partner was known as "The Beast," but Beast passed away three years ago, killed in the line of duty. Beauty's been on her own since then, continuing the work she and Beast began, refusing to take another partner."  
  
"Where is...was...she?"  
  
Billy cut in. "Last word was from London. She was with someone you actually know already, Amanda...Emily Farnsworth."  
  
"Emily? Emily knows this Beauty?"  
  
The men nodded.  
  
"How come I've never heard of her? I mean, I *have* been here for a while."  
  
"She's so top secret that only a handful of us even know she exists," Lee replied. "Billy and I don't even know what she looks like."  
  
"Lee, I want you and Amanda on this case. You're to be on the first flight to London. Meet with Emily, find out-"  
  
"Sir?, Uh, excuse me, Sir." Amanda interrupted.  
  
"Yes, Amanda, what is it?"  
  
"Sir, I can't go to England right away. My mother left on a trip this morning, I don't have anyone to watch my boys other than me."  
  
Lee made a face. He'd forgotten about his stepsons needing someone to watch them.  
  
Billy looked at Lee, then at Amanda, then back to Lee. He *needed* Scarecrow on this one, and he knew Scarecrow worked better with Mrs. King by his side. They just *had* to go. And now.  
  
"Amanda, how would you feel if Jeannie and I offered to watch your boys for you?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Billy?"  
  
"Well, Jeannie *does* teach at your sons' school."  
  
"She does?!?" Lee and Amanda exclaimed in unison.  
  
"Yes, I thought you knew that!" Billy said to Amanda.  
  
"No, Sir, I didn't. The boys don't often talk about their teachers. And I guess I just never asked. What does she teach?"  
  
"American Government."  
  
Lee and Amanda burst into laughter at the irony of Jeannie's job. Billy, too, found the humor in it for the first time and joined them in the moment of joviality.  
  
"Sir, I couldn't possibly impose on you like that. I'm sure I could get one of my neighbors to watch them if it's that important to you that I go with Lee."  
  
"Amanda, it's that important not only to me, but to Beauty, to Emily...and I'm sure, to Lee. But I insist, as long as you feel comfortable leaving them with us."  
  
"Oh, it's not that I don't trust you, Sir, it's just that...how much of what you do does your wife know about?"  
  
"Jeannie knows exactly what I do, Amanda. If you're worried about either of us slipping and leaking it to your boys, don't be. We know how to keep secrets."  
  
Amanda chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you do."  
  
Billy became momentarily wistful as he said, half to his agents and half to himself, "Besides, we never had any kids of our own. It will be fun for us."  
  
Amanda's heart melted. She could tell that her boss really wanted this. "Well, alright, but only if you call your wife first to make sure it's okay with her. Then I'll head to their school to talk to them about it."  
  
"Great!" Billy's face broke out into a large grin. "I'll call her now. Meantime, get yourselves booked on a flight and get packing!"  
  
"Yes, Sir!" Amanda grinned as she came to her feet.  
  
"See ya, Billy," Lee nodded his head at his boss as he followed Amanda out of the office.  
  
They heard, "Hello, Jeannie Melrose, please," as the door closed behind them.  
  
"He sure seemed eager to take care of the boys."  
  
"Yeah, I didn't know Billy regretted not having kids that much."  
  
Lee and Amanda got into the elevator. "Was it The Agency?"  
  
"I don't know. Billy never really said. He just mentioned it once, that they couldn't have children. I always assumed it was a medical problem for one of them or something like that."  
  
"That's too bad. I think Mr. Melrose would make a wonderful father."  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, he would at that."  
  
SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK  
  
Jeannie had readily agreed to take Phillip and Jaime in. She knew Phillip very well, he was in one of her classes. Amanda had dropped by their school before going home to pack and talked at length with them. They understood that their grandmother was on a trip, and that if she returned during Amanda's absence, they could go home with her if they wanted to. Otherwise, Jeannie made it very clear that the boys were more than welcome to stay at the Melrose home indefinitely. Both of them were excited at the prospect of spending time with Phillip's teacher, whom he seemed to adore. And since they had that connection to the Melrose's, there was no reason for anyone to get into the fact that Jeannie's husband was their mother's boss. It worked out splendidly for all involved.  
  
Reassured that all would be well with her sons, Amanda's thoughts turned to her mother. As she packed her suitcase and garment bag, she wondered what on Earth was going on in Dotty's family that would make her run off somewhere and feel she couldn't share it with her only daughter. Once again that irrational fear began creeping into her mind, forcing her to second-guess going on this assignment. She knew that when she and Lee were together there wasn't a thing they couldn't do...but what if her mother *did* get into trouble and really needed her? Dotty would have no clue where she was, no way of knowing how to get in touch with her unless she came home and found the note Amanda was going to leave for her.  
  
Amanda picked up her phone and called The Agency. She was quickly patched through to Billy. "Mr. Melrose, Sir, would it be possible for my phone to be forwarded to The Agency while Lee and I are gone? You see, I'm worried that my mother might suddenly need me, and she has no idea I'm going out of town."  
  
"Oh, Amanda, that's no problem, I'll set it up as a dummy answering service. Lee called me with your hotel phone number, so if there's an emergency, we'll get you there."  
  
"Thank you, Sir."  
  
"Oh, and Amanda?"  
  
"Yes, Sir?"  
  
"Thank you for letting us take your boys. Jeannie's thrilled."  
  
Amanda smiled. "I'm glad, Sir. Goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye. Be careful. And good luck."  
  
Amanda felt much better as she put the receiver back onto the cradle. Everything was okay. But she made the decision right then and there that when they all were safely back home, after this was all over, things were going to change in the King...Stetson...West...whatever household. This balancing act she was performing was getting way out of hand...to the point now where even her own mother was keeping secrets from her. The truth was going come out sooner or later, and Amanda knew for sure that she wanted to be in control of it when it did.  
  
SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK  
  
The rain splattered against the window, effectively turning everything outside into one big blur of nondescript shapes and colors. Inside, however, the room was warm and cozy, a fire crackling in the fireplace, lights turned on only dimly to add to the ambience of the moment. The room's three occupants were, for the moment, content to just sit in companionable silence. Their reunion at Heathrow Airport had been a joyous one, and now they sipped their afternoon tea and warmed their chilled innards.  
  
"Amanda, have I told you how wonderful it is to see you?"  
  
Amanda smiled. "Emily, it is *so* good to see you, too."  
  
"Lee, my boy, you did the right thing sticking by this one. She's a real winner. And such a lovely, lovely girl."  
  
"I happen to agree wholeheartedly," he replied. Amanda blushed. Lee scooted closer to her on the love seat and put his arm around her, a move which both surprised and pleased Emily. It was then that she noticed...*them*.  
  
Emily gasped and almost spilled her tea everywhere as she jumped to her feet. Clumsily depositing the cup and saucer on the table in front of her, she dashed across the room, her outstretched index finger coming to rest on the object of her attentions.  
  
Lee Stetson's wedding ring.  
  
"You're not...you didn't..." Off their beaming faces, she concluded, "You *did*! You got married!"  
  
The couple laughed. "Yes!" they replied in unison, so very happy that they could *finally* tell someone.  
  
"Oh, you scoundrel...come here!" Emily pulled Lee to his feet and wrapped her arms around him, laughing all the while.  
  
Amanda stood and took a step back, enjoying the scene before her. She knew Lee loved Emily like a second mother and she very much took pleasure in seeing him be able to truly be himself with someone other than her. Especially where their marriage was concerned.  
  
"Amanda, get over here, you're not getting away from me that easily!" Emily crowed. She was beside herself, running to hug Amanda as fiercely as she had Lee. "Let me see that ring, now." Amanda held her left hand out for Emily to see. She touched the ring almost reverently. "Oh, Amanda," she whispered, "it's so beautiful." When she looked up into Amanda's eyes, her own eyes were full of unshed tears.  
  
"Oh, Emily, don't cry!" Amanda became tearful too as she hugged the older woman.  
  
"I can't help it, you and Lee are my only family and now you're married...I knew you two were in love, I knew it from the very first."  
  
"Oh, Emily." Lee came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her. "You know, you're the first person we've told."  
  
"I am?"  
  
Amanda nodded. "You sure are."  
  
"Oh, well, now I feel twice as honored!" But as quickly as Emily's spirits had risen, they fell once more. "I only wish you'd come under better circumstances."  
  
Lee and Amanda's moods quickly changed as well. They'd been delicately avoiding the topic that had brought them to London to begin with.  
  
They all parted, walking to different points in the room as they tried to shift their collective focus from personal joys to professional problems. Lee was the first to break the silence. "Emily, how well do you know Beauty?"  
  
"Oh, very well indeed, Lee. She even knew that I'm not really British, that it's just part of my cover when I'm in England. I knew all there was to know about her."  
  
"What's her real name?" Amanda asked. "Or is that need-to-know?"  
  
"No, since you're going to be helping us find her, I think it's alright, don't you, Lee?"  
  
"Yeah," he nodded, "go ahead, Emily."  
  
"Beauty's real name is Amelia Jackson."  
  
"Amelia. How did she get the codename 'Beauty'?"  
  
"Oh, now *that's* a story!" Emily exclaimed. They all seated themselves as she continued. "Amelia fell into the spy business in much the same way as you did, Amanda...purely by being in the right place at the right time. Actually, her beginnings with The Agency follow yours in several ways, now that I think about it. You see, her future partner, Larry James, was in trouble. He had some very sensitive information in an envelope but was being followed, so he couldn't make the drop. Uh, Larry James was with The Agency. At any rate, he spotted Amelia, thought she looked pretty trustworthy and the rest, as they say..."  
  
"Is history," Amanda finished for her. "Emily, I have just one question."  
  
"Yes, dear?"  
  
"Is that how *all* civilians get involved with you guys?"  
  
Lee and Emily laughed, soon joined by Amanda. Once the laughter had died down, Lee picked up the story. "Larry wasn't exactly nice to most people, and because of that he earned the nickname "Beast". He and Amelia began working together a lot and the few people who knew about it started calling them "Beauty and the Beast". When it came time give them codenames, those names stuck and that was that."  
  
Lee fell silent for a moment before asking the question he'd been dying to ask since they landed at Heathrow. "So what happened, Emily? Who's got her?"  
  
"I don't know, Lee, I just don't know. She wasn't working on anything overly sensitive...in fact, this was the first real vacation she'd had since Larry died. She was looking forward to a trip up north for some peace and quiet. I had her over for dinner, you see, because I knew I wouldn't see her for a few weeks. The next morning I stopped at her flat to say goodbye before she left for the airport. I found her door ajar and her home a shambles. I searched for her for two days on my own before I called William."  
  
"Yeah, well, Billy was hollering at someone about finding her when we got in this morning...well, actually, yesterday morning over there."  
  
"Don't worry, Lee, it wasn't me. I fear it was probably members of MI6. You two are the only Agency that's over here."  
  
"Does MI6 know?"  
  
"No. Your presence in England...and your exact reasons for being here...are need-to-know. Now, I'm sure you two must have considerable jet lag. Why don't I settle you into your room and you can rest for a bit. I have to go to market anyway for our dinner."  
  
"Oh, Emily, don't go to any trouble."  
  
"Amanda, cooking dinner for my married niece and nephew could hardly be considered trouble!" Emily smiled as she showed the couple down the hall to a large room with a King-sized bed.  
  
"Thanks, Emily!" Lee smiled as Emily exited and closed the door behind her. He threw himself on the bed and grabbed Amanda's hand, pulling her down with him.  
  
They both sighed at the same time, enjoying the feel of each others' arms as they snuggled together.  
  
"I guess I am pretty tired. Maybe I'll take a little nap," Amanda whispered.  
  
Lee kissed her temple. "Me, too." He wrapped his arms around her even more tightly and the two were soon fast asleep.  
  
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"I don't know what you want from me. I don't know anything about Amelia's father or his whereabouts. I didn't even know the baby survived!" Tears ran down the blonde woman's face. "I already told you everything!"  
  
"And for the last time, I do *not* believe you!" the enraged man screamed at her.  
  
The woman raised her chin in defiance. "I am telling you the truth. I can't help it if you don't believe me. Now, please, will you let me see my daughter?"  
  
"Fine. But we are not through. You had better rethink what you're willing to tell me because I will not be so easy on you the next time!"  
  
The man motioned for his two goons to untie the woman and take her away. He followed them and waited until they'd unlocked a door. The door swung open to reveal a beautiful young lady with dark blonde hair and large brown eyes.  
  
The woman gasped as the goons shoved her into the room. "Oh, my gosh!"  
  
The mean man snarled as he stepped into the room. "Amelia Jackson, meet your mother, Dorothea West."  
  
To be continued...  



	2. Part II

Title: **All Our Secrets Part 2**  
Category: TV Shows » Scarecrow and Mrs. King  
Author: TB's LMC  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: K+  
Genre: Adventure  
Published: 08-30-00, Updated: 08-30-00  
Chapters: 1, Words: 6,902

* * *

**Chapter 1: Default Chapter Title**

* * *

Title: All Our Secrets - Part Two

Author: Christine L. Davis

E-Mail:

Archive: Anywhere, but please let me know where, I like to see!

Summary: Everybody has secrets: Lee, Amanda...even Dotty. But secrets as big as these can't be kept hidden for long.

Rated: PG

Disclaimers: The characters of Lee, Amanda and any other familiar folks belong to Warner Brothers, Shoot the Moon and whomever else is a Power-That-Be. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: This story takes place about a year-and-a-half after the actual show ended.

Feedback: Greatly appreciated, both constructive criticism and high praise. Flames will be immediately extinguished utilizing my handy-dandy Secret-Agent-Fan-Fiction-Flame-Douser.

Many Thanks: To the unbeatable, impeccable, awesome, wonderful Amber for her flawless beta reading even with everything else she has going on in her life.

~~~~~All Our Secrets - Part Two~~~~~

The men had laughed heartily at the women's shocked reactions, then left the room, slamming the door good and hard behind them. Shocked was actually too mild a word to describe how Dotty and Amelia felt.

'She has dark blonde hair. Just like me. She has large brown eyes. Just like me. She has that mouth, that nose. Just like me. Could it be? Did she survive?' Dotty could only stare slack-jawed at the woman before her. Amelia was bruised and battered, but the similarities were unmistakable. This person had to be her daughter. "You look just like I did when I was your age," Dotty said softly, taking a step closer to the woman.

Amelia returned Dotty's gaze with equal intensity, equal curiosity. She'd always been told her mother hadn't wanted her, that she'd been unwed and had given her up for adoption without even wanting to hold her. She'd always been led to believe that her mother was some degenerate junkie, but this woman didn't look like a degenerate to her. In fact, she looked like a kind, compassionate, loving woman. The lines on her face spoke of many years of smiling and of love. As she watched the eyes turn from stunned to concerned to loving, she knew for certain that this Dorothea West was her mother. It wasn't just the physical features that convinced her. It was something deep down inside. A force or connection of some sort that seemed to bind them together.

"You're my mother?"

Even her voice sounded the same. "That's what they're telling me." Dotty inched closer and stooped down to move some of Amelia's hair away from her face. In doing so, she revealed a large purple bruise. "Oh, dear...what are they doing to you?"

"Trying to beat answers out of me, I suppose. They know I won't talk. They should know better than to think Beauty would ever break."

"Excuse me, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

Amelia had forgotten herself. Well, that's what lack of sleep and an aching body, combined with just having been introduced to your birth mother, would do to you. "Never mind. We do look alike. You think we really are related?"

"Why would you doubt what that man says?"

"Oh, come on, he is *such* a loser." Amelia sniffled indignantly. "With my luck it's just another ploy to get me to squeal. Tell me you're my mother and then torture both of us until I break, you know, same old, same old."

Dotty's eyes widened as she sank onto a nearby chair. "Torture me? Dear Lord in heaven, what for?"

Amelia peered through the dim light at the woman. "You have no idea who I am or why you're here, do you?"

"No, not really, well, I don't know who you are, of course, except that they said you're my daughter and I have to believe them, I mean, you look-"

"-exactly like you, I know. Listen, I don't know how you got here, but-"

"Well, that's simple, actually. I got a phone call at midnight last night...well, that would probably be two nights ago for you...or maybe it was last night, I'm not sure...but anyway, the phone at home rang at midnight and I happened to be right next to it...I was in the kitchen, you know, I couldn't sleep so I was making myself some warm milk on the stove...it always helps me go to sleep when I have insomnia, I don't know why, but it sure does work...my grandmother always said 'Dotty, you just drink this glass of warm milk and it'll put you right to sleep,' and sure enough it worked like a charm and still does..."

Amelia was staring open-mouthed at Dotty. She couldn't believe the woman had gotten that all out in one breath.

Dotty realized this and returned to her original train of thought. "Sorry, I do tend to ramble...anyway, there was a man's voice on the other end of the phone and he told me if I wanted to keep my daughter alive I had to fly to England."

"From where?"

"Oh, I live in Arlington, Virginia."

"You live in the States?"

"Yes, I do. Anyway, naturally when they said 'your daughter' I assumed they were talking about Amanda, I mean, as far as I knew she was the only living daughter I had."

"Amanda? You have another daughter?"

"Yes, her name is Amanda King. I live with her and her two sons."

Tears sprang unbidden to Amelia's eyes. Not only did she have a mother, but she had a sister and two nephews to boot. Who would've thought it? The lone wolf covert operator, someone who didn't exist to anyone unless the American Government needed her for something...and then, even if she were caught, they'd be all too quick to deny her existence...had a whole family in the States.

"Look, Amelia...I can't help believing that you are the daughter I thought I'd lost. I look at you and it's like I know you. I'd like to tell you what happened 38 years ago. I think you have a right to know." Dotty slid off the chair and settled onto the floor next to Amelia. When the girl didn't respond, Dotty continued. "I was young, I was in love. The story's as old as time itself. There was a young man I'd met at the Ice Cream Social." Dotty's eyes seemed to look back into the past, her face taking on a dreamy quality.

"Oh, he was a handsome young man. I was taken with him from the moment he walked in the door. Our eyes met across the crowded room. Kids were dancing everywhere. I knew most of them, I grew up right there in Arlington. But this man was new in town. He was a little shy, but I've never had a problem talking to people I don't know. I knew that I wanted a dance with him, so I walked right up to him and asked him. He took me in his arms and we danced for the rest of the night. The chaperones actually had to break us apart an hour after the Social was supposed to have ended. I had never been so in love in all my life."

Dotty turned and smiled at Amelia. "That man was your father. His name was John. I never did learn his last name. He always told me these silly stories about it being safer for me if I didn't know his 'true identity' and other such nonsense. I never really knew what he did, either. He told me it didn't matter, that I should trust him. I *did* trust him. Implicitly. So much so that I did something rather impetuous...we both did. He told me he wanted to marry me, but if he did we'd have to keep it a secret. I didn't understand it at all at the time, I mean, it just didn't make any sense to me. But I loved him so much...the night he told me he wanted to marry me was January 15th, 1950. You were born exactly nine months later."

Here Dotty's face clouded. Her eyes became dark, her smile turned to a frown. She looked earnestly into Amelia's eyes. "I was in so much trouble with my family. In 1950, a young girl who got pregnant out of wedlock was an embarrassment to her family, to her community, to her church. They sent me to a place in upstate New York when I was four months along, I had just begun showing a little bit of a belly by then. I spent the rest of my pregnancy crying and longing for John. He had no idea where I'd gone. I never even got to tell him about the baby...about you. To this day, if he's still alive, I doubt he ever knew."

Amelia sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. As Dotty spoke, the girl had no trouble envisioning the whole scenario. Amelia was so tired that she could barely sit up. Ever-so-slowly she began to lean towards her mother's body, wanting nothing more than to rest her head against the bosom of the woman she'd always thought never cared.

Dotty saw the younger woman leaning towards her. Smiling, she reached her arm out and put it around Amelia's shoulders, pulling her into a half-embrace. They leaned back against the wall as she cradled the baby she hadn't been allowed to cradle all those years ago. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued her story.

"Finally the day came when I went into labor. It went on for exactly 13 hours. They didn't give me any drugs, I guess it was supposed to be punishment and some sort of future mental birth control to experience the pain of childbirth. I relished every contraction. Every pain and push was one I remember to this day. I wanted to remember everything because I knew they were going to make me give you up for adoption the second you were born. I cried and cried all through my labor, I couldn't handle knowing I wouldn't be able to keep you. As long as I was pregnant, you were with me. But now...now you were leaving me. Forever."

Amelia's eyes moistened as she listened. Dotty sighed.

"So there you were. I heard the midwife say you were a girl, but they wrapped you in a blanket and hurried you out of the room. I never even got to see you. I tried to picture in my mind what you might have looked like, but I never got to see your beautiful face. I cried for a whole week while I stayed there recovering. Then, on the morning of the day I was supposed to go home, the administrator of the facility came to me and said that there had been complications, that you-" Dotty's voice broke. She was in her past, reliving the excruciating pain she'd felt back then. The tears flowed freely. Had she been able to see Amelia, she would've seen tears streaming down her face as well.

"They just took you from me. As if that wasn't painful enough, they told me you'd died two days after you were born. What did I know? I had no reason to doubt them. Even now, I have to wonder if...if my parents had something to do with that. They were so angry with me, but when I got home that evening, it was never spoken of. My father barely looked at me for the rest of his life, and my mother always had sad eyes for me. I think she regretted not allowing me to keep my little girl, but those were the times and that's how Daddy wanted it, so that's how it was handled. I never saw John again. I have no idea what became of him."

Taking a couple of deep breaths, Dotty pulled Amelia closer, stroking her shoulder-length curly hair with one hand. "But I guess you didn't die, after all. Because here you are, almost an exact replica of me when I was your age. My gosh, it's like looking in a mirror thirty years ago."

Amelia finally found her voice. "So I have a sister?"

"Yes, a half-sister, Amanda. Oh, she's wonderful. After she gets over the initial shock, I'm sure she'll welcome you with open arms. And Lee, he's fantastic. He loves Amanda and the boys so much. She's so lucky to have found him."

"The boys. They're Lee and Amanda's sons?"

"No, Lee is Amanda's boyfriend. The boys are just Amanda's, from her previous marriage to Joe King. Phillip and Jaime, you're going to love them, they're adorable and precocious and perfect little nephews for you. Amelia, we've got to get out of here, we've got to get you home."

"No, wait, you don't know what I do. I don't even know why they want you. Did they tell you anything?" Amelia was, once again, all business.

"That big man kept questioning me about John, they want to know where he is, what he's doing. I kept telling him I don't know, but I don't think he believed me."

"John? My father? This is all about him?"

"I suppose so. You don't know anything about him, do you?"

"No, this is the first I've heard of him...from you, I mean. Burt and his thugs haven't really asked me any questions yet. I guess they're trying to scare me first and then they figure I'll talk. Are you sure that's all they asked you about?"

"Yes, they said they lured me here because they figured I knew where John was. I told them I hadn't seen him in over thirty years, but the big one yelled at me. I don't like these men, Amelia. How did you get involved with them? And why do they want to know about someone from our past?" Dotty paused. "And how in the world did they figure out I was your mother?"

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Emily had already prepared supper for her weary guests, but hadn't heard a peep from the guest bedroom. She crept down the hall and tapped softly on the door. Receiving no answer, she opened the door a crack and peered in. A smile formed on her face as she took in the scene before her. There, snuggled in the very center of the King-sized bed, were Lee and Amanda. He was lying on his left side facing the door, Amanda's back right up against his front. His arms were wrapped around her, his left cheek resting on her right cheek. Their legs were intertwined, and as Emily watched, Amanda snuggled even further into Lee, if that were possible. Lee smiled in his sleep as Amanda did the same.

Emily closed the door soundlessly, tears of happiness forming in her eyes. She had always loved Lee like a son, and when she'd met Amanda, she'd felt an instant affection for her as well. Then, watching the two of them together, she felt like she was watching a finely tuned orchestra from the good seats. The way they worked together was nothing but pure instinct and being wholly in tune with your partner. Yet Lee had never seemed to want to let Amanda in all the way. Until now. As she made her way back to the kitchen to turn the oven down to 'Warm,' Emily whispered, "Good show, Amanda. You got him."

The phone rang. Emily went to the wall and answered it. "Hello?" Several minutes passed as she listened intently. Finally she said, "Thank you," and hung up. Heading back toward the guest room, she sighed. "Sorry, Lee. No more down time."

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Exhausted from their recent trials, Dotty and Amelia fell asleep in each other's arms. After two hours of unconsciousness, the door to the room they'd been held in was suddenly kicked open. Dotty was startled awake as well, but took a little longer to rise.

"Amelia? What's going on?"

A figure appeared in the door, but it wasn't someone that either of the women immediately recognized. He flipped the light switch, flooding the room with brightness. "Come on!" he hissed. "Keep quiet!"

"Who are you?" Amelia asked, taking a defensive posture.

Dotty's hand flew to cover her mouth. "Oh, my gosh!"

The man stepped into the room. His hair was sandy brown, his eyes a sparkling green. He'd been focusing his attention on the younger woman until the older one had gasped. When he looked to see who it was, his face registered complete surprise.

"Dotty?"

Not being one to wait for an explanation when her life depended on it, Amelia eyed the man's gun warily, barely noticing the exchange between him and her mother.

Dotty saw her move toward him out of the corner of her eye. As Amelia leapt at the man, she cried out, "No, Amelia! He's your father!"

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"Mm? Emily?"

"Lee, sorry. I need to see you right away."

Lee shook the cobwebs out of his head. He knew Emily would not be tearing him from Amanda's embrace if it weren't important. Slowly and gently he disentangled himself from his wife, leaving her with a tender kiss on the cheek before following Emily into her Living Room.

"What is it?" he asked, running a hand through his unkempt hair.

"I just received a phone call from an old contact I haven't heard from in years. His name is Scott Arnold. Apparently he's fallen in with a bad lot, but now he's having second thoughts."

"About what?"

"The man Scott is working for, Burt Kullen...Lee, he has Beauty."

Lee's every sense woke from slumber, every nerve suddenly on edge. "Well, Emily, call in MI6! Beauty could be home by midnight!"

"No, Lee, wait, there's something else."

When Emily pushed Lee down onto the love seat and sat right next to him, he knew what was to come would not be good news. "Emily..."

"Lee, Beauty's not the only one Burt and his gang are holding. There was a new arrival yesterday morning, very early."

He frowned. "Who?"

"A woman who is supposed to be Beauty's mother." Emily paused, her throat tightening. Lee shook his head, not understanding why this was so bad. "Lee, the woman's name is Dorothea West."

A gasp brought Emily and Lee to their feet. They whirled around to face the door, where Amanda stood, her face white, her hands covering her mouth in horror.

"Amanda-" Lee rushed to her side.

"Amanda-" Emily came to Amanda's other side just as she began to faint.

"Take her to the sofa, I'll bring some water and smelling salts," Emily ordered.

Lee carefully lifted Amanda into his arms and took her to the sofa as directed. He knelt by her head, smoothing her hair away from her face. "Amanda? Amanda, wake up. It's Lee."

Emily returned and snapped a packet of smelling salts under Amanda's nose. She jolted awake, sitting bolt upright. "Mother!"

"Amanda, Amanda, it's okay," her husband tried desperately to soothe her.

She turned to look into Lee's eyes. Her own eyes filled with tears as she then looked up at Emily. "Did you say my mother is being held captive?"

Emily nodded. "I'm sorry, dear, I only just found out myself."

"But you also said...you said she was...she was Beauty's...Amelia's...mother. How can that be? I'm Mother's only child."

"Amanda, I don't know. I haven't had the chance to check my source's story for accuracy. All I know is that if there's a chance we can rescue both Beauty and your mother, we need to act now and ask questions later."

Both Lee and Emily watched as the weaker portion of Amanda, the Amanda who'd just fainted from shock, slid back down into the depths of her being. Her tears abated, her eyes became strong once more and her posture straightened with resolve. "What do we have to do?" she asked, her voice no longer wavering.

Lee never ceased to be in awe of this amazing woman he'd married. He knew she was in turmoil over what this new information might mean, both to her and her family. But here she was, ready to go. She was better than any fully trained and schooled agent he'd ever known. "God, I love you," he smiled, leaning in to kiss her soundly on the lips.

Her eyes softened at his words and she smiled in return. "I love you, too."

"Well, kids, I suggest you get cleaned up while I finish making supper. We'll formulate a plan while we eat. I'll make a few calls in the meantime."

"Thanks, Emily." Lee was grateful that his friend understood his need to be with Amanda right now. Dotty West having another daughter? And that daughter being, of all people, Amelia "Beauty" Jackson? Even he couldn't fathom such a thing. He could only begin to imagine how Amanda felt.

Amanda ironed the wrinkles out of some of their clothing as Lee showered. As long as she kept herself busy, she could block out what Emily had said. When Lee was finished, Amanda wordlessly entered the bathroom, deep in thought. He didn't dare disturb her. She would talk to him when she was ready.

Lee joined Emily at the dining room table, which was completely set and laid out with a feast. As he took his seat, he asked, "What did you come up with?"

Emily explained that she'd phoned her contact back to get more information. He'd given her the location where Beauty and Dotty were being held. Emily had some gear being brought to her by a trusted friend from Scotland Yard. Gear that they would need to go in and rescue the two women. "We'll have to go in by ourselves, Lee, just the three of us. We can't get MI6 involved. It would be very messy with The Agency and all."

"Yeah, I agree. I won't even contact Billy until it's all over, just in case."

"Right." Emily turned in her chair as Amanda walked into the room. She smiled, "Hello, Amanda, dear, how are you?"

Seating herself next to her husband, Amanda forced a smile. "I'm fine, Emily. Gosh, this all looks so good."

Emily and Lee exchanged knowing glances as they all helped themselves to the food before them. Once their plates were filled, talk of how they would carry off this dangerous rescue began.

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Scott hung up the phone and crept out of the office. He knew if Burt ever found out he'd squelched, it'd be the last of him. Guys like him didn't mess around. But he didn't want the two ladies to die. One was a senior citizen, and the other was a beautiful woman, for God's sake! Actually, Scott mused, they were *both* beautiful. Like mother like daughter.

He was startled when he accidentally ran into Burt...literally. "Oh, sorry, Boss."

"Where you been, Scotty boy?" Burt's eyes harbored pure evil in their depths, a look which made Scott shiver.

"Oh, I thought I heard a noise back there as I was walkin' past, but I guess it was just a rat or somethin'."

"How do I know I ain't got my rat right here?" Burt growled, grabbing Scott's shirt collar and pinning him to the wall.

"What rat? Burt, I'm on your side, remember?"

"Yeah, whatever," he spat, letting Scott go. "Now get the hell outta here. I won't be needin' you anymore tonight."

"Yes, Sir. I'll be here bright and early tomorrow, Burt." Scott practically ran out of the abandoned piano factory, realizing he'd just barely escaped death at Burt's hands. Now he was doubly glad he'd called his old friend Emily. She'd really helped him out of a jam once and now it was his turn to pay her back. If what he'd gleaned from scraps of Burt's conversations were true, that Beauty was a really important lady.

Besides, Scott just didn't like killing people. Cursing himself for getting involved with the likes of Burt Kullen, Scott got into his old blue Opal. The engine roared to life under his touch and a cloud of dust was all he left behind as he peeled out of the old parking lot. He had to get to another phone, but he had to do it far away from the factory. Far enough so that Burt and his buddy Ned wouldn't find him.

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Amelia stopped practically in mid-air, the words her mother had spoken ringing in her ears. 'He's your father...he's your father...he's your father...' She stared at the man, who in turn stared at Dotty, who looked back and forth between the two of them.

"John."

"Dotty."

"*You're* my father?"

"Dotty? You...we...a child?"

Dotty's eyes filled with tears as she turned her head away, nodding almost imperceptibly.

"So *that's* where you went," John breathed.

Dotty bowed her head in shame. Amelia just stared at her parents, unable to believe she was finally getting the chance to meet them.

Finally John gave his brain a mental shake, remembering why he was there to begin with. "Dotty, Beauty, we have to go. Now."

Ever the skeptic, Amelia asked, "You're here to spring us?"

"Yeah, you could say that." John stared at Amelia for a moment, marveling at how much the girl looked like Dotty way back when he had loved her. "Dotty, take my hand. This could get dicey."

Amelia watched as Dotty took John's hand without question. With his free hand, John dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out a 9mm handgun. He tossed it to his daughter, who caught it without missing a beat. "Come on, Beauty, let's get you two out of here."

She nodded, palming the weapon. Dotty looked worriedly at the small uzi in John's hand, wondering at the ease with which he seemed to handle it. And as for her daughter...yet another surprise. What on earth did these people do for a living? "Amanda's never going to believe this," she muttered. "Never in a million years."

Beauty and John worked seamlessly together, one of them standing guard while the other sneaked past...one covering the other as they moved down the hall. John seemed to know where he was going and his grip on Dotty's hand never wavered. About halfway out of the building, John's keen ears picked up a sound coming from behind them. He tried a nearby door, which opened easily. The three slipped inside, John closing the door behind them.

"What's wrong?" Dotty whispered.

"Sh," John placed his finger to his lips, his ear to the door. There were two men, he could hear them talking. They walked past and slowly the noise faded. "I think they're gone. I'm going to take a peek. Dotty, you stay back with Amelia."

Dotty did as she was asked, allowing Amelia to take her arm and pull her into a corner of the room. John opened the door and cautiously poked his head out. After looking both ways, he deemed it safe. Turning to the women, he was once again struck by the similarity of feature. But now was not the time for such things. "Come on," he whispered.

The three continued their journey, their minds racing with so many thoughts that they all feared their brains might explode. Heads still intact, however, they kept going until finally the exit was in sight. John knew that from here on out it could really get dangerous, especially for a civilian like Dotty. His senses kicked into overdrive. When he'd started out on this one-man rescue mission, he'd no idea that the woman he was attempting to set free was his daughter, nor that her mother and his former girlfriend would be coming along for the ride.

No, this wasn't exactly how John had envisioned his final mission.

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Half-finished dinners grew cold as daylight lost its glow and allowed darkness to creep into its place. Still the animal called fire crackled, being kept alive by the vigilance of one woman. One woman whose entire life had been spent in the shadows, whose every mask had been artfully, cleverly conceived with one goal in mind: to solve the case. To right the wrongs. To see that justice was served, no matter what language Justice spoke.

Emily Farnsworth had literally been in almost every country that existed, save perhaps some of the smaller, lesser known ones. As she stood at her hearth, poker in hand, she absently pushed the burning embers about, the fire lulling her into a retrospective trance. The young couple in the kitchen moved about quietly, an occasional fork clanging against an occasional plate. They had their whole lives in front of them, and they would be facing those lives together as one. A pang of regret coursed briefly through Emily's heart as she realized that she'd willingly let her life as a spy to override receipt of any life's pleasures. She had loved once...loved hard. But that love had been lost many, many years prior and Emily had tried gallantly to forget.

But now, watching Lee and Amanda together...the shared, loving glances; the light touches of hand to arm, fingertips to back; the secret smiles which told of pleasures shared behind closed doors...these things made Emily so happy for her good friends, but reminded her of her own personal losses. Or rather, things she'd never gained in the first place. She sighed loudly.

Lee had been watching Emily for a few moments. He had a good idea what she was thinking about. When she sighed, his heart went out to her. He knew what it was like to have no one. To be alone. To have no hope for love. But for Emily he knew it was worse. At her age, love didn't always happen. Lee hoped somehow that it would. He loved her, and thanks to Amanda he was comfortable admitting that to himself. He loved Emily like the mother he never had and all he wanted was her happiness. Slowly approaching her, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and stared into the fire with her.

"Amanda sure has taught you when a body needs a hug," she smiled, leaning her head against Lee's shoulder.

He chuckled. "That she has, and so much more. I know what you're thinking about."

Startled, Emily raised her head and looked into his eyes.

"He might still be out there, Emily. Don't give up on Love yet."

With a nervous laugh, Emily backed away, replacing the poker in its holder. She wasn't used to discussing personal things with this man. As much as she cared about him, she'd never really opened up to him...not about matters of the heart. "Now, don't you try to coddle an old woman's soul," she chastised. "You know better than that, Lee."

"Know better than-you don't think you can find love because of what? Your age? It's out there, Emily. It's out there for all of us." Lee saw Amanda appear in the doorway between the Living Room and the Kitchen. "Amanda taught me that."

Smiling softly, Amanda joined the two, wrapping an arm around her husband's waist. "Just wait 'til this is all over, Emily. He's out there somewhere. You'll find him."

Emily sighed once more. "I already did." Amanda and Lee exchanged questioning looks as Emily made her way to her room. Over her shoulder, she called, "You two should get ready. We'll be leaving soon."

"What's she talking about?" Amanda asked.

"I don't know," Lee replied honestly, staring after the woman who seemed more mysterious to him now than ever.

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There were two guards. John knew he could take one, and from Beauty's reputation, he knew she could take the other. But what about Dotty? Would she do what she was told? Would she stay out of the way until the all-clear was given? She'd been a headstrong girl back when he'd known her...she'd almost gotten too close to his secret for her own good. But John hadn't a clue as to whether or not she was still that way.

"Dotty," he whispered, "stay around the corner, out of sight. Amelia and I will handle the guards. When it's clear, I'll come back in and get you."

"What? You think you're just going to leave me here all alone? What if one of them comes down the hall, what am I supposed to do then?"

"Shh!" John placed his hand over her mouth. "Dotty, we don't have time to argue!"

Jerking his hand away from her face, she replied in a warning whisper, "That's right, we don't. And you're *not* leaving me here. If you start firing those things," she waved her hand at their guns, "then I'll hit the ground. I've watched enough action movies with my grandsons to know how to handle myself."

Amelia wanted to laugh. Dotty was a spitfire...that explained a lot about her own personality. "Come on, let's just go!"

With an annoyed look at Dotty, John grudgingly grabbed her hand, wondering how the hell this mission had gotten so complicated. Leave it to him to have a civilian woman tagging along. And his former lover, to boot.

A feeling stirred somewhere deep in John's being. A feeling he hadn't felt in so many years that he dismissed it as the flutterings of a nervous agent's stomach right before something big went down. But these flutterings wouldn't be going away so quickly. Not as long as Dotty was around.

Amelia headed out the door. In a flash her right arm had connected with the first guard's face. Before his companion knew what was happening, John had grabbed his machine gun and wrenched it away, simultaneously punching him in the gut.

Dotty was in awe. This was like something right out of the movies! Before she could reflect further upon their whacking abilities, her ex-boyfriend and her daughter were dragging her across the parking lot. Suddenly gunfire rang out.

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The car was packed with everything they'd need. Lee, Emily and Amanda all wore black jeans and black turtlenecks. Black hats, jackets and sneakers completed their ensembles. When Emily had emerged from her bedroom, there was no trace of the sad woman who'd entered it. Lee and Amanda silently agreed to address the issue of Emily's love life later, after Beauty was safe and sound. Now, as they stood in the foyer checking their various on-body equipment, they joked with each other about never having seen Emily in jeans before and how it would destroy her ladylike reputation for sure.

"Yes, well, Amanda, I haven't been as thin as you since I was born!"

"Emily, you're beautiful and you know it," Lee replied, his eyes betraying the sincerity that his smile tried to cover.

Blushing, Emily opened the door to her flat. "Alright, then, enough banter. Off we go!"

It only took fifteen minutes for them to reach the abandoned building. Half a block away, they could hear gunfire and further in the distance the familiar sounds of police sirens came into earshot.

"Oh, no...Mother." Amanda fought back the tears that threatened to fall, reminding herself that tonight she had to be professional, for everyone's sake.

"Amanda, I want you to stay in the car while Emily and I assess the situation."

"You're kidding."

"No! I'm not kidding! Emily, help me out here."

"Lee, I have to agree with Amanda. We need a third pair of eyes. We have no idea what's going on."

Frustrated at being outnumbered by females, Lee stopped the car about ten feet from the building's driveway. "Fine. We go in together according to the plan. Amanda, you go around and approach from the other side of the driveway." Amanda nodded, thrilled that her husband, thanks to Emily's gentle prodding, was remembering to treat her like a fellow agent instead of like his wife. "I'll go in from this side. Emily, you secure the building."

"Right." Emily replied, opening the car door. They each grabbed their gear from the trunk and within a minute were all at their respective posts.

"Rescue 1, come in," Lee spoke into his headset.

"This is Rescue 1. I'm going in," replied Emily.

"Check. Rescue 2, report."

"I'm in place, Rescue 3, I have a street light here to see by," came Amanda's voice. Then she gasped. "Mother!"

"Where?" Lee peeked around the corner of the building into the dark parking lot.

"She's on the ground, there's a man covering her, he has an uzi...and there's a woman with them, she's next to Mother. Oh, my gosh."

"What? What?"

"Lee, the woman looks exactly like my mother."

He grimaced. Lee knew this was going to be hard on his wife. He had to bring her mind back to the task at hand. "Can you see the shooters?"

Amanda focused her eyes and searched the area. "No, Rescue 3, none visible."

"Proceed with caution, Rescue 2. I'm going in."

"Check." Amanda could see Lee round the opposite side of the building from her vantage point. Suddenly a shadow moved not too far from him.

"Lee, left and back!"

Lee whirled to find himself faced with a man dressed in camouflage, wielding a machine gun. He brought his leg up in a straight karate kick, sending the machine gun clattering to the ground. He reached down and grabbed it, flinging it far behind him as the man came after him. They struggled, fists and feet flying.

The shooting had stopped. At least, the shooting outside had. John and Amelia scanned the area, not allowing Dotty to move an inch from her protected space beneath them. Then they heard shots from inside the building. Dotty managed to raise her head. What she saw shocked her.

"Amanda?"

"Mother!"

Amanda ran out from her hiding place, scanning the parking lot as she did so. Pointing her gun at the man on top of her mother, she ordered, "Get up, nice and slow."

"Amanda, you have a gun!"

"Yes, Mother, I do." Addressing the unknown man once more, Amanda said, "Drop it and get up.

"Wait, I'm not the enemy," John replied, lowering his gun to the ground and getting to his feet.

Dotty rose, her eyes wide with confusion at what she saw. Her little Amanda...dressed all in black with weird contraptions and things all over her body, and a gun in her hand. "No, Amanda, don't...he's telling you the truth. He came here to rescue us."

Amanda looked at her mother. Then she spoke into her headset. "Lee, I heard gunfire from inside. Maybe you'd better check on Emily."

Amelia spoke for the first time. "Emily's here?"

"I take it you're Beauty." Amanda stated.

Amelia dipped her head in acknowledgement. "And you're Amanda."

Amanda nodded, lowering her weapon to her side. She heard Lee slam the front door of the building open and knew where her place was right now. To John, she said, "Get my mother out of here. I have to help Lee."

"Lee?" Dotty's voice rose in pitch. "Amanda, why is Lee here?"

Amanda sighed. "Mother, we have a lot to talk about. Both of us have been keeping some secrets." She looked pointedly at Amelia and John.

"Yes, Amanda, we have been. You'll be safe?" Dotty nodded toward the building.

"Yes, Mother. I'll be safe. I'll be with Lee."

"I'm coming, too," Amelia said. "Emily came here because of me, the least I can do is help."

Amanda nodded just as Lee's voice came over her headset. "Amanda, I need you!" Her heart stopped for a moment. For Lee to say he needed help meant only one thing...someone was in big trouble.

"Get her to safety!" Amanda threw over her shoulder to John.

"Amanda, Amelia...be careful!" Dotty called out. Before she could say anything else, John was pulling her toward a small office trailer at the opposite end of the parking lot.

"Lee, where are you?" Amanda asked into the headset as she and Amelia entered the front of the building. Guns drawn, they worked as though they'd been doing this type of thing together for a long time.

There was no response.

"Lee."

Silence. Amelia looked into Amanda's eyes and saw the fear.

More gunfire erupted somewhere ahead of them and they raced toward it. They could hear men hollering at each other. Amanda recognized one voice as Lee's, while Amelia knew the other belonged to Burt. They came to a corner, Amanda on one side, Amelia on the other. Peeking around it, they saw a large empty room which must once have been the building's Lobby. Burt had Emily around the neck and was dragging her backward into another hall. Lee's gun was trained on the man, but it was evident he wouldn't be letting Emily go.

Burt's eyes were wild, his face taut. He pressed the barrel of his gun into Emily's neck. "Drop it, hotshot, or the old woman gets it! I ain't kiddin'!"

"Now just take it easy! If you let her go, we can work this all out."

"Bullshit!" he spat, digging the gun even further into Emily's flesh.

Emily's eyes betrayed her fear, but outwardly she remained calm.

Meanwhile, Amelia and Amanda had rushed out the front and around to the back of the building. Cautiously they entered through the back door, guns drawn as before. They could see Burt's back, but he was such a big man they could see little else. Amanda wasn't quite sure what to do. If they shot Burt now, he could still fire the gun in Emily's throat. If they created a sufficient distraction, he might turn around long enough for Lee to overpower him.

But when you were gambling with a person's life, "might" wasn't good enough.

Amelia could see Amanda's dilemma. She felt it herself. Emily had always been like the mother Amelia never had. She'd do anything to keep her safe. Then she got an idea. She caught Amanda's eye, silently making motions with her hands and arms, gesturing in a way that she hoped would explain her plan to Amanda. Right now, they couldn't risk making a sound.

Indeed, Amanda understood exactly what Amelia wanted her to do, and it was better than anything she could think of. Silently the half-sisters crept up behind Burt. They didn't know it, but Lee saw their approach and poised, ready to make his move.

Quick as lightning, Amanda wrapped her arms around Burt's arm, effectively yanking the gun out of Emily's neck. At the same time, Amelia threw herself onto his back, wrapping her arms around his thick neck, doing everything she could to choke him.

A lone gunshot echoed through the empty building. For endless seconds, nothing happened. Then a body fell to the floor.

To be continued in Part Three.


	3. Part III

Title: **All Our Secrets - Part 3 (Conclusion)**  
Category: TV Shows » Scarecrow and Mrs. King  
Author: TB's LMC  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T  
Genre: Adventure  
Published: 09-19-00, Updated: 09-19-00  
Chapters: 1, Words: 4,577

* * *

**Chapter 1: Default Chapter Title**

* * *

Title: All Our Secrets - Part Three (Conclusion)

Author: Christine L. Davis

E-Mail:

Archive: Anywhere, but please let me know where, I like to see!

Summary: Everybody has secrets: Lee, Amanda...even Dotty. But secrets as big as these can't be kept hidden for long.

Rated: PG

Disclaimers: The characters of Lee, Amanda and any other familiar folks belong to Warner Brothers, Shoot the Moon and whomever else is a Power-That-Be. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: This story takes place about a year-and-a-half after the actual show ended.

Feedback: Greatly appreciated, both constructive criticism and high praise. Flames will be immediately extinguished utilizing my handy-dandy Secret-Agent-Fan-Fiction-Flame-Douser.

~~~~~All Our Secrets - Part Three~~~~~

Amanda's eyes widened. Amelia watched with detachment as the blood spilled onto the hardwood floor. She stepped over the body and drew Emily into a fierce hug. Amanda looked up to Lee, who was crossing the Lobby. He didn't even kneel to check for a pulse. It was obvious that Burt Kullen would never breathe again.

Lee watched as Amanda lowered her gun. The barrel still smoked as she let it fall to the floor. Emily placed a hand on Amanda's arm. The clatter of metal against the hardwood floor was almost deafening in the empty silence of the abandoned building's halls.

"Oh, my gosh. I just killed a man."

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"John, what's going on, why aren't they out yet?" Dotty peered through the small window in the trailer door for about the hundredth time in the few minutes since they'd arrived.

"You never were one for patience," he replied, his eyes crinkling in fond amusement.

She whirled on him. "Not where my babies are concerned."

"Dotty, about that...is it true? Is Beauty...I mean, is Amelia Jackson my daughter?"

"It looks that way, yes."

"What do you mean 'It looks that way.'? Don't you know?"

"No." Dotty sighed as she looked out the window once more. "John, I think it's time you knew everything."

"I agree."

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Lee stepped over Burt's body and pulled his wife into his arms. She let him hold her for about a minute, then pulled away. His eyes shone with concern and love. And maybe even a little bit of pride.

"I'll be fine," she replied softly to his unspoken question. "I know that I had to do what I did. Otherwise he would have shot you, Lee."

Emily seemed surprised. "But Amanda, how did you know Burt was pointing the gun at Lee? Surely you couldn't have seen it from your spot behind him. He was as wide as this hall."

"I-I-" Amanda faltered, suddenly unable to pinpoint exactly how she had known Lee was in danger. "I don't know, Emily, I guess...I just *felt* it."

Lee's eyes widened slightly as he placed his arm around his wife's shoulder. Slowly they walked down the hall and out the back door, Emily and Amelia right behind them.

Suddenly, as if thinking the same thing, Amelia and Amanda blurted out, "Mother!"

The women ran across the parking lot to the small trailer, Lee and Emily following at a slower pace. They watched as the half-sisters stormed into the small office and could hear the cries of happiness filter into the night once they found their mother safe.

"I suppose I should give Billy a call."

Emily nodded. "And MI6."

Amanda, John, Amelia and Dotty emerged from the trailer. Her girls flanked Dotty, with John hanging back a bit.

"I wish I knew what to do next," Lee said softly.

Emily stopped and looked up into his eyes. "Lee, all you need to do is be there for her. And, uh, don't get offended if you're not top on her list of priorities right now. She has a lot to deal with on the home front. Don't muddy the waters with insensitivity."

Lee grinned. "How'd you get to be so smart, Emily?"

"I'm old. Old people know everything."

Lee laughed as the others approached them. Amanda looked at him almost apologetically, but he smiled in reassurance. He knew Emily was right. Amanda needed to be with her mother right now.

"I'll make the call to MI6," Emily offered, pulling out a cell phone.

Lee and John were left standing alone as Emily placed her call and the West women huddled together near the building. Lee took the initiative and approached the older man, hand outstretched. "Hi. Lee Stetson."

"Hi. John Mabry."

Lee was impressed by John's strength and physical fitness. He wondered, though, why a man of John's age would be here with guns blazing. He wondered, for that matter, who John even was.

Seeming to read his mind, John tried to explain. "I was sent to rescue Beauty. That's why I'm here."

"How do you know her?"

"I don't really know her, I was sent on a mission. My final mission, in fact."

"For whom?" Lee's curiosity had been more than peaked.

"For me," a man's voice stated firmly. Lee whirled on the unknown person and was greeted by a man who must have been around Emily's age. He seemed very sure of himself and carried an authoritative air.

"Sir!" John exclaimed, rushing forward to shake the stranger's hand.

"Ah, John, how are you, my boy? I take it the mission was successful."

"Yes, Sir, but not because of me. We have our friends from The Agency here to thank for it all."

"Really?" The man turned to face Lee. "And who might you be, young man?"

"Lee Stetson," Lee came forward and shook the man's hand. "From The Agency in Washington, D.C. I came here with my partner Amanda to try and locate Beauty."

Emily had finished her call and was speaking softly to Amanda when she heard the voice. His voice. Her eyes widened and she stopped in mid-sentence, her face paling considerably.

"Emily? You alright?" Amanda asked, frowning.

"It can't be."

Amanda watched as her friend slowly turned.

Emily gasped. "Oh, my God. It's him."

The stranger looked up. His eyes locked with hers. "Emily," he whispered.

"Oh...Ashton."

Before anyone knew what was happening, the stranger had run to Emily, picked her up and was hugging her fiercely. Everyone looked on wide-eyed, wondering what in God's name was going on.

Soon many cars and ambulances arrived. Everyone was giving statements to everyone else; the scene was one of mass confusion. Lee lost track of his wife and anyone else he knew, so after his debriefing he just caught a taxi back to Emily's place. He was pleasantly surprised upon arrival to find Amanda already there.

"Where have you been?" he asked, holding her tightly to him. "I looked everywhere for you."

"I'm sorry," she smiled. "Mother, Amelia and John seemed like they needed some time alone so I helped them get set up at a local inn where they could talk in private. I figured if I came back here, you'd eventually find me."

"Emily's not around, is she?"

"No, I haven't seen her." Amanda sighed, her face showing signs of weariness.

"Sleepy?"

"Not really. I think I'm more emotionally spent than anything."

Lee hesitated, not wanting to bring anything up too quickly. "Are you...okay with all this?"

She half-smiled. "I have to be. I just wish I knew what 'all this' was. I'm so confused, I can't think straight."

Lee placed his large hands on her slim shoulders and began utilizing his Magic Fingers. "Well, Mrs. Stetson, why don't you just stop thinking for a little while, hm?"

"Oh, I'd love to. I just don't know if I can."

"Would you mind if I tried to make you?"

"Mmm, not if this is the tactic you had in mind."

Lee moved around to Amanda's front and kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Come with me." Lee led her to their room, closing the door behind them. When he locked it, Amanda smiled sheepishly. "Amanda..." He took her hands in his, pulling her to him. Before she knew it, Lee had her on the bed and was slowly and deliberately kissing every inch of exposed skin in a valiant effort to make her stop thinking altogether.

His strategy began to work, for Amanda's senses suddenly came alive, the logical portion of her brain beginning to shut down. When Lee's hands joined his mouth in the effort, coherent thought flew out the window as Amanda reveled in the loving touch of her husband. They both needed this so badly. It had been too long. Far too long. They could feel the ache leaving their bodies, being replaced by warm feelings of love, tenderness and fulfillment.

As husband and wife enjoyed the respite, another couple entered the front door of Emily's place. It was Emily and the stranger whom she had identified only as 'Ashton'. The two made their way to the living room. Emily sat on the love seat while Ashton seated himself on the couch. For about 20 minutes, neither of them spoke.

"So this is where you're living now, Em."

"Yes, what do you think?"

"Nothing is good enough for my Em. Not even this posh flat." The man's heavy British accent revealed only his native country. All emotion was held purposely in check. First he had to find out if she still felt the same...

She whirled on him. "*Your* Em? *Your Em*? I think I stopped being 'your Em' when you ran out on me all those years ago."

"You always were good at holding a grudge."

"I think I have the right, Ashton Banks." The blind hatred left Emily's eyes, replaced by the pain she'd felt twenty years ago. "You hurt me. Badly."

"I didn't mean to. I had no choice."

Emily didn't necessarily believe him. She wanted to, oh, how she wanted to. But she was too afraid he'd hurt her again. She rose to her feet and turned toward the kitchen, Ashton hot on her heels.

"Emily Elizabeth Farnsworth, I demand to be heard!"

Stopping dead in her tracks, Emily said, "Don't you be cheeky with me. If you have an explanation, give it to me. Otherwise you may leave."

"Very well. Here it is."

Emily sat once more on the love seat while Ashton paced the floor in front of the now-cold fireplace. Many minutes passed as he struggled to find a place to start. Now that he'd found her, he wanted Emily back more than anything. Circumstances had thrown them together once more and he'd be damned if he were going to leave her a second time.

Neither of them realized that both Lee and Amanda, having finished their interlude only moments before, were now standing hidden in the shadows of the hall, hanging on every word being said.

"Lee," Amanda whispered, "I don't feel right about this. We shouldn't be spying on Emily!"

"Shh, just listen. I need to know what's going on. What if Emily's not safe with that guy?"

Amanda shook her head, pulling her robe more tightly around her chilled body. In spite of her protests, she was as curious as Lee about this Ashton fellow.

"Besides, we were honestly just on our way to the kitchen for a snack."

Amanda eyed her husband, somewhat amused. Four years ago he would rather have jumped off a cliff than let Amanda know he cared about anything or anyone. And now, as she looked at him, she could plainly see the love and concern he felt for his good friend Emily. She marveled at how this man had changed.

"It can't be that difficult to tell me the truth."

"It is, Em. Almost as difficult as the day I left you standing at the altar."

Lee and Amanda exchanged surprised looks.

"How can anything be more painful than that," she replied. It was not a question. It was a statement of fact.

Ashton crossed to the love seat, kneeling in front of his beloved. "Em, oh, Em, can you ever forgive me? I didn't want to leave you, I swear on the Queen Mum's royal brow, I didn't. I had no choice."

"Ash, don't you dare tell me it was because of Covert Operations. That not one time in twenty years could you stop spying long enough to pick up the phone and ring me. I won't believe a word of it."

He sighed. "Yes, it was because of Covert Ops. You knew when we met that I was the head of the British segment."

"Yes, I knew that."

"I still am. Two days prior to our wedding, a death threat was left at the front door of my flat. I thought little of it at the time." Ash came to his feet, shoved his hands in his pockets and resumed pacing. "I took it to my superior only for duty's sake, not because I feared for my life." He paused, staring at the charred wood lying on the fireplace floor. "The morning of what should have been the happiest day of my life turned out to be the most horrible day it could possibly have been. Shortly after I awoke, an attempt was made on my life."

Emily gasped, rising to her feet. She'd had no idea.

"Our enemies had discovered my identity and were determined to kill me. I was therefore instructed to go underground permanently. I knew if I refused the direct order from my superior, if I chose to resign as head of the British segment, that I would be dead as soon as I walked out my door. And not only that, if I remained with you, you would most likely be either killed or captured and tortured, to get to me."

Emily's eyes filled with tears. And all these years she had hated her Ashton so...

"Em, don't you see? I did it for you. I had to know you'd be safe. I couldn't let them kill you because of me."

"You could have gotten word to me, Ash," Emily tried half-heartedly to scold him as he took a few tentative steps in her direction.

"No, you know better than that. I had to disappear. Completely." He crossed the remainder of the distance between them and took her into his arms.

"I know," she breathed into his chest, for Ashton Banks was at least a foot taller than she. "I just wish you had found me before I got this old."

"You're not any older than I am." He stepped away to look her up and down. "You're as beautiful as always you were. My little Emmy." He sighed as he drew her into his arms once more. "Ten years passed before I finally came to my senses. I demanded of my superior that I be allowed to come out of hiding, but by then you had gone underground. I couldn't even find out if you were still in England. I heard several rumors about you going stateside, also that you'd been spotted several times in the Middle East, Scotland and South Africa. But I could never confirm any of these rumors and you were always gone by the time I arrived."

"You've been looking for me?"

"Oh, yes. For ten long years now." Ashton kissed her forehead tenderly. "I have followed your ghost for so long that I can hardly believe I'm standing her now holding the real you."

"You are, Ash." Emily looked up into his eyes. She found them filled with tears and couldn't keep her own eyes from the salty wetness signifying past regrets and losses.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Are you going to leave me again?"

"Never," Ash replied, holding Emily's body so tightly to his that he thought, just for a moment, he might break her in two. "Never."

Amanda blinked back tears as she grabbed her husband's arm and pulled him back towards their room. She'd never seen anything so beautiful in all her life.

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"John, what happened to you? Where did you go?"

Amelia emerged from the bathroom into the quaint inn bedroom. She leaned against a nearby wall to watch her parents and listen to their conversation.

"Oh, Dotty, my life is so very complicated. It always has been. There's a reason you never knew my last name."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because, Dotty, I'm a spy."

Dotty chuckled. "Oh, please. You? A spy?"

His face remained serious, causing Dotty to stop laughing and really start paying attention. "You're not."

"Yes, I am. My name is John Mabry. I work for a top-secret group called Covert Operations. That man back at the old piano factory, the one who came after everything was over, he's my boss, Ashton Banks. He's head of CO's British segment."

"And you did this way back when I knew you?"

"Yes. Oh, Dotty, I didn't mean to fall in love with you. I'd just been recruited by CO about 6 months prior and was in the D.C. area on my first assignment. I got into so much trouble for getting involved with you, but I didn't care. I was ready to leave that whole thing behind me and become a normal person, just so I could be with you."

"You were?" Tears shone in Dotty's eyes as she lay a tender hand on John's arm.

Amelia hastily wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"Yes, I was. But then you up and disappeared. Now, of course, I know why," he said, stealing a glance over Dotty's shoulder at their daughter, "but back then I just figured you'd left town because you didn't want to be with me anymore. I resolved then and there to never get involved with another woman ever again. Not that I ever could have."

The tears flowed freely down Dotty's cheeks as John wrapped his arms around her.

"I've never stopped loving you, Dotty. All these years, there's only been you."

"Oh, John...John...I don't know what to say."

"You probably don't love me anymore, and that's okay. I mean, you obviously got married, or at least got involved with some other man...you do have another daughter."

"Yes, I did get married, to Carl West. We had a happy marriage that produced my daughter Amanda, but Carl passed away several years ago."

Dotty watched as her former lover rose to his feet and went to stand by the window, looking out upon the gray England sky.

"But you've always been in my heart, too."

John turned, his face reflecting the surprise he felt. "I have?"

"Of course. John, you were my first love. You meant everything to me. After I had the baby and came back home, I tried so hard to find out where you'd gone, but I never could. You just disappeared off the face of the Earth. A few years passed and I met Carl. Thinking you were lost forever, I allowed myself to get involved with him, and I did love him, very much. I think it's possible to love more than one person in your lifetime."

John smiled and dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"But now, seeing you again...it's like we never parted." Dotty came to her feet and turned to face Amelia, who was staring at her. "And seeing you for the first time...Amelia...our baby..."

The girl watched as her father came to stand next to her mother. John placed his arm around Dotty's shoulder and together they raised their free arms toward their daughter.

"Amelia," Dotty began, her eyes pleading with the younger woman, "can you ever forgive me?"

Amelia ran into her parents' waiting arms. As a soft rain began to fall outside their window, three people slowly began to build a new family.

And still those butterflies wouldn't leave John Mabry's stomach. He realized, with a small chuckle, that Dotty still had that same crazt effect on him. He was loving it.

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"Do you think Emily and Ashton will stay together?" Amanda asked as her husband emerged from the shower.

"I hope so. The way she was speaking about him before we went after Beauty makes me think she really loves him. And then what we saw out there tonight...well, I just hope he doesn't up and leave her again."

"I have a feeling if he does, he's gonna have to answer to you."

Lee flashed her a brilliant smile and tugged at where the large bath towel was fastened around his waist. "Ah, you know me so well."

"Lee, what are you doing with your tow-oh!" Amanda covered her eyes in mock horror as Lee popped the towel open and let it fall to the floor.

"Gee, I didn't think I was *that* ugly," he quipped.

"Oh, you're not, believe me. But we...I...Lee, I really need to go see my mother. I need to find out what's going on, why she has another daughter."

As much as Lee wished he could keep Amanda here all to himself, he knew she needed answers to her many questions. He nodded solemnly, grabbing a pair of silk boxers and hastily putting them on. "I know you do," he said softly, coming to sit next to her on the bed. Draping his arm across her shoulders, he pulled her into a hug. "Do you need me to go with you? If you don't, that's okay, but I just want you to know I'm here for you."

She smiled gratefully at this man she loved so very much. "I know you are. But I think I need to do this part of it alone. After I find out what happened, I'll meet you back here, okay?"

He nodded. Part of him was annoyed with Dotty for keeping this big of a secret from his beloved Amanda. Then part of him was annoyed at himself for being annoyed with Dotty. The rest of him just wanted his wife near him. He didn't want her to get hurt; he didn't want anyone to bruise her, emotionally or physically, ever again. Her words from long ago came echoing back in his mind...'I'm a lot stronger than I look.'

"You sure are," he said aloud.

"Sure are what?"

"A lot stronger than you look."

Confusion shone on her face, but it was quickly replaced by recognition. She knew exactly what Lee had been thinking about. "Do you remember everything I say?" she teased. "Because if you do, I'm in trouble!"

"Everything you say, everything you do. The way your smile is a little crooked, the way your cheeks come up to create little half-moons under your eyes when you smile, the way you suck your lower lip into your mouth when you're nervous about something, the way you look at me like I'm the only man you've ever loved-"

"Well, you are. You're the only man I've ever loved like this. I'm so lucky to have you."

"And I'm lucky to have you. You ready?"

Amanda sighed and came to her feet. "Ready as I'll ever be. What will you be doing?"

"Oh, I think I'll call Billy and see what's going on with MI6 and wrapping up this case. Then maybe I'll check on Emily and make sure she's okay. After that I'll just lay here in bed pining away for the woman I love."

Amanda laughed out loud. "You don't seem the type to pine, Stetson."

"I wasn't. Not until you." He smiled, kissing her soundly. "Now get out of here before I force you to remain against your will."

"Oo...hold that thought," she grinned.

All too soon she was gone, leaving an empty place in Lee's chest. "How did I ever live without her?" he wondered aloud as he stood in the doorway to their room.

"I don't know, Lee, but I'm awfully glad you've got her now."

Lee turned to find Emily standing in front of her own bedroom door. He smiled sheepishly at having been caught talking to himself. "You alright, Emily?"

"More than alright," she replied, wearing a smile that could have lit up the Christmas tree on the White House lawn.

Lee held up his hands teasingly as he backed down the hall toward the Living Room. "Whoa, never mind, you just behave and don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Emily laughed. "Then I guess I have carte blanche to do whatever I please." As she opened the door to her room, she pulled her right hand out from its hiding place under her robe. Lee's eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw what she held in that hand.

A can of whipped cream.

Emily giggled and disappeared into her room. Lee heard her lock the door and shook his head, trying to digest what he'd just seen. A low rumble began at the bottom of his stomach and slowly worked its way up until finally a guffaw escaped his lips. He stumbled out to the living room and fell back onto the couch, laughing so hard he got tears in his eyes.

Would the women in his life never cease to amaze him?

SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK~SMK

It was almost 2 o'clock in the morning when the sound of the front door softly closing woke Lee from his half-conscious state. He opened his eyes and noticed that the fire he'd built was almost out. Then he looked up from his position on the couch to see his lovely wife standing before him, her eyes red and puffy from crying. He jumped to his feet, his protective nature getting the better of him.

"Amanda! Are you all right? You've been crying!"

She nodded and smiled...it wasn't a fake smile, it was a happy smile, albeit rather tired. "I'm okay. Everything's okay."

"Did you talk to your mother?"

"Yes. And my half-sister. And her father. Lee, it's...it's amazing. I feel like I've known Amelia my whole life. And John...well, he's a very nice man. And I think my mother still has a thing for him."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah." Amanda yawned and her husband wrapped his arms around her. "Gosh, I'm so tired."

"Then let's get you to bed. We can talk in the morning."

Another yawn prevented a response, but Amanda nodded her head in agreement as Lee led her down the hall to their room.

"Is Emily here?"

Lee fought the urge to laugh. "Oh, yeah. That's something else we'll have to talk about tomorrow." Amanda gave Lee a quizzical look, but he just smiled a secret smile, a twinkle in his eye. "Tomorrow, Amanda. Come here."

She walked to him and allowed him to peel her clothing off until she wore absolutely nothing but her birthday suit.

"My God, you are so beautiful. Maybe my idea of us sleeping naked isn't such a good idea. We're never going to get any sleep!"

She giggled as he cupped her bare behind with one hand and her breast with the other. "Now, you be good, Mr. Stetson. You have to formally meet your mother-in-law and sister-in-law tomorrow."

Lee jumped back. "They know?"

"Yes. I told them everything. And they told me everything. It seems," Amanda yawned as she crawled into bed and pulled the down comforter over her chilled body, "that I've always had a family full of spies. You're just one more addition."

Lee dove into bed and pulled his wife's body to his. "I'd better be more than that," he growled.

Amanda smiled as she drifted off to sleep. Her life certainly hadn't turned out the way she'd imagined as a child. No, it had turned out much, much better. And best of all, there were no more secrets.

Outside the rain had stopped. The clouds parted to reveal millions of tiny white pinpricks of light dotting a midnight blue sky. In the distance, the bright white of a full moon cast a glow over the rooftops of London. Two couples, more in love than they could ever have imagined, dreamed the night away in a flat somewhere in the midst of that big city. Several streets over, in a small inn, another couple went about the task of reacquainting themselves with each other. Next to their room, a woman who, only a handful of days before, had been the loneliest woman in the world, smiled in her sleep as she dreamed of her newfound family.

Ashton and Emily. Amelia. Dotty and John. Lee and Amanda. And far away, back in the United States, Phillip and Jaime. Their family was growing by the minute. Little did they know that it would soon grow again. As Amanda slept, her husband's flattened palm somehow found its way to her belly...as if somehow he knew...

THE END OF "ALL OUR SECRETS"


End file.
